Ageha Muteki
by SuperYuuki
Summary: In an attempt to save an innocent family, she is shot and wounded. Amazed by the discovery of this sub-species of Tsubasa, Colonel Yuki Ryu takes her into military custody so she can heal. OC x OC It's mostly OCs. R
1. A Third Tsubasa

**Forward**

There were many wars. After these wars, the world had divided in to three countries: One encompassing North and South America, and two dividing Asia, Europe, and Africa. This story takes place in Neelse, the southern country in Asia. Hanhini is the country north of Neelse; it is very poor and is currently in the middle of a civil war.

There is a legend that Tsubasa rose from below the ground and granted the wishes of every person in the town it appeared in, and then disappeared. Most people don't believe the legend, even though it is really true. A Tsubasa, meaning 'wing', is actually an artificially made human brain (and only a brain) with the power to take on human form, teleport, and, due to their unique brainwaves, create illusions. They can't actually grant wishes, they just make an illusion of the wish. There are only two normal Tsubasa; one is named Rikuro, in existence. The other, Kayo, has been missing for decades.

The Ageha, as mentioned in this novel, are not original creations of Natsuki Takaya, the author and illustrator of Tsubasa: Those with Wings and Fruits Basket. The Ageha are a different kind of Tsubasa thought up by the author of this novel. This is a fan fiction of Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

The time setting is the 22nd century.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

Prologue

There must have been light at one time. There had to be, or else why would they call it darkness if there was never any light? Why would they call this nothingness if there never was anything?

_So let's call back the light._

One: A Third Tsubasa

I looked up at the stars. I'd always wanted to touch one, to hold one. I'd dreamed about what they would feel like. Would it burn? Would it tickle? Did stars make a sound? How high would I have to fly to reach one, and would my wings even be able to get me there?

I sighed. Sometimes I wished the stars would just come down to earth. That would eliminate any complications.

As I lay in the soft green grass of Meadow Flower Hill, a gentle breeze blew and I felt as relaxed as I'd ever been. The hill was covered with various wildflowers, ranging from buttercups to sunflowers. The combined smell of the flowers created a heavenly scent.

Sitting up, I realized it was time to check on Nozomi

I sprang up. I hoped she was satisfied with her wish. I met Mukido Nozomi a week ago crying in her bedroom. She said she was sick. She had a deadly disease (whose name escapes me) and it was going to kill her. Doctors had no cure. I knew she needed my help. I told her who and what I was and her face lit up with a huge smile.

"Wow, a Tsubasa! I can't believe it!" she had tears in her eyes at that point.

"I assure you, I am a Tsubasa. What is your wish?" I had already known what she was going to ask for; I had just wanted to hear her say it.

"I-I wish I was healthy!"

I nodded. "That is a good wish. Continue to live, little Nozomi." I created the illusion that she was healthy, and she fell asleep. Just thinking that she was healthy would help her. Then I disappeared.

So today, I was going to check on her.

I teleported to her bedroom and realized that she wasn't there. I heard laughter from outside and leaned out the window to investigate. Nozomi was playing soccer outside with her friends. She smiled when one friend kicked the ball to her. She ran with it and shot it at the makeshift goal. The goalie caught it but she didn't seem to care. She was having too much fun to care.

I smiled to myself. It felt good to help others. It wasn't just that it felt good either. It also was just the right thing to do. If someone needed help, you gave it to them. Nozomi certainly benefited from my assistance. Even if she just though she only thought she better, it extremely increased her chance of survival.

I looked around the room and saw a well-drawn painting pinned to the wall. I examined it out of curiosity, only to discover that it was me. It was a beautifully painted, though slightly exaggerated, drawing of me as I teleported away. I smiled at the sight of my Swallowtail butterfly wings and the little illusions of butterflies that swirled around me. I couldn't believe anyone would draw me this well, as this butterfly angel. I definitely wasn't that pretty.

I turned around and the person in the mirror caught my eye. She had marvelously delicate swallowtail butterfly wings, and a couple little butterfly illusions still swirled around her. She was a unique mixture of really cute and breath-taking gorgeousness. Her long, wind-blown, sunlight-colored hair flowed down her back in cascades. The loose, aqua green outfit she wore made her look both otherworldly and relaxed. Her pixie eyes had a look of purity and innocence.

Did I really look like that? If so then Nozomi's painting has become totally accurate.

That's what the Ageha Muteki looks like. The Invincible Swallowtail looks exactly like that. That's what I look like.


	2. A Dark Shadow

A/N: Um . . . Yeah. So, sorry the chapters are so short.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

Two: A Dark Shadow

Flying was one of the better things about being a Tsubasa, I mean, everything about being a Tsubasa is awesome, but flying is one of the most awesome. Normally, I wouldn't fly, I'd just teleport, but I didn't really know where I wanted to go, therefore I couldn't teleport there because I didn't know where I wanted to teleport. I only had a general area in mind, it was somewhere new. I hadn't granted any wishes there before, and I'd heard that this place was having some troubles.

Ah, there it was. I saw the town in the distance. It was a military town, many military people where stationed there because it was so close to the border. The military needed to station people there because of illegal immigrants and possible invasions. Because of Hanhini's current civil war, the military needed more people than ever to make sure no one is trying to sneak over the border to safety.

As I flew over the town, I heard a sound I hated more than anything: Gunshots.

I swooped down low and hid behind a sign on a roof.

"If you and your family don't go back to Hanini, I swear the next shot wont miss!" a man shouted

"We moved here legally, we have papers!" said a woman with an accent.

I peered around the sign. To soldiers were pointing their guns at a woman dressed in Hanhini clothing. She was standing in front of two little kids.

"Most likely they're fakes. Besides, all of you Hanhini scum should stay in your country!"

"Mama, what are they gonna do to us?" asked the older of the two children.

The woman ran her hand through his hair once. "They will not do anything to us, we are staying here," she told her child.

"That's it!" one soldier yelled as he prepared to shoot his gun.

"Hold it!" said a voice.

I could not see who said it, bit the two soldiers turned and saluted.

"Colonel Yuki Ryu, sir," they said at the same time.

This Colonel Yuki Ryu stepped into a place where I could just barely see him. He had wind-blown chestnut hair and an almost toxic aura; he was a cynic, obviously.

He walked over to the family. "I am looking for a deserter by the name of Mukido Watsugu. Has either of you see or heard of in the area?"

Mukido Watsugu? It was a name I knew fairly well. It was the name of Nozomi's dad! What was this poisonous person doing looking for Nozomi's father? Nozomi never said anything about her dad being a deserter from the army, either. That must have happened recently, as in within the past half-hour, or Nozomi's happiness would have been affected, and I would've noticed.

The woman looked puzzled, "No, I have not heard anything about a deserter by that name. I have heard of a deserter but the name of Shiragi, though, Shiragi . . . Raimon," she answered.

Sighing, Ryu turned and walked away from the family. "Raimon is Hil's problem, not mine," he looked at the soldiers, "Continue," he said as he turned to walk away.

"Yes, sir," they said as they pointed their guns yet again.

"NO!" I screamed as I quickly teleported to place myself between the family and the bullet.

Pain. Burning. My stomach hurt. I fell slowly as my knees failed me. Everything looked blurry, the cracked buildings, the bewildered soldiers, but one thing was clear, something I wouldn't be able to get out of my head for a long time: The surprised and amazed face of Colonel Ryu.

He did not look pompous, which he should because it is obvious that I must be a Tsubasa, and he could take credit for capturing me. His face was in an expression of awe. This was not the face of a scientist who has found a rare specimen; this was the look of someone seeing light for the first time.

"A Tsubasa," he said under his breath.

Then there was nothing.


	3. The Void Inside

Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

Three: The Void Inside

It was loud. It was hectic. Busy, busy, busy top scientists and doctors were running about trying to save my life. Couldn't they tell I was just trying to rest?

That was about all I could decipher from my inconstant consciousness.

My head was heavy, but the rest of me was numb. I wanted to teleport. I wanted to leave this place and go back to Japan and ask maker to teach me something. I wanted to go home, but I couldn't muster enough energy to even lift my hand, let alone separate my atoms and rebuild them in a different spot.

At least I saved that family.

Most Tsubasa are actually rather durable, those like Rikuro could've bounced back from this in an instant. However, I was different, I was an Ageha, a kind of Tsubasa, we were delicate, oh so delicate. It took us three times as long to heal from an injury than humans. That is why no one in the military had ever heard of us, we stayed somewhat hidden to avoid getting hurt.

But really, I think I was the last one. The last time I heard from Ageha Hana was a year ago, and she wasn't in that good shape anyways. But of course, Ageha Hana would go first. She was 'Flower Swallowtail,' and flowers don't live forever. I still had some hope that she was alive, but I doubted it. But I was Ageha Muteki, 'Invincible Swallowtail,' I figured I had to be resilient.

Yeah. I had to be pretty resilient.

Calm now. Things were calm now. I could move my hand, my arm. I could feel soft, gauzy bandages around my navel. I could wiggle my toes.

I could remember where I was.

. . . !

I shot straight up, panting. I did a quick scan of the room, a couple flowers, how thoughtful, and bland walls. I was in a hospital bed; the rails on the sides were put up. I could hear the beep of a heart monitor. I looked down at my arm, expecting the worse, and . . . yep, there it was, needle connected to feed bag.

I shuddered. I looked up to find some distraction to keep me from thinking about the needle.

There was a mirror across from the bed. I gasped when I saw myself.

My beautiful black and warmly colored wings were crumpled and even ripped in some spots. Didn't these people know the meaning of the word 'fragile'? It would take weeks of no flying or teleporting whatsoever to patch these up. I realized it could have been their intention to keep me here. I couldn't teleport if I didn't want my wings and powers as a Tsubasa to disappear.

There were still a couple weak, little illusionary butterflies fluttering feebly. They were a manifestation of the power I had remaining and they even had some intelligence; they also served as a barrier against harm or the elements in case I'd collapsed in a desert or something. Currently, they didn't look like they could even protect me from a gentle rain shower.

I gently lifted my hand and reached up to one. It was a frail little thing. It fluttered tiredly to rest on my hand.

I swear I heard a little whisper as it disappeared into mist.

I do not understand why, but I burst into tears. Apparently, in my current condition, the end of any life, however insignificant, was too much to for me to bear. The loss of a single, illusionary butterfly reduced me to this.

"Get over it. It was just a butterfly," said a voice to the left.

I turned my head, startled. Sitting there was Ryu, who, in my opinion, should have better things to do than baby-sit an incapacitated Tsubasa. He was eating out of a box of gourmet chocolates, the ones that you could only get imported from across the sea. Yes, those really expensive, really yummy, super hard to get chocolates. I liked chocolate.

I must have been eyeing the box enviously, because he held out the box. "Chocolate?" he asked without expression.

I took one that looked like it had a caramel filling. "Yes, thank you." I popped it into my mouth and chewed as slowly as possible. My eyes widened at the taste. Image the best chocolate you have ever tasted, multiply that by one hundred, and add the yummy taste of caramel. _That_ would be_ nothing _compared the flavor of this foreign chocolate.

"Where did you get these chocolates?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Family recipe," he said, "My aunt makes 'em."

Oh. So I guess they weren't foreign.

"Are you serious?"

"I am serious."

"Wow."

"Yes, 'wow' indeed."

I paused to think for a moment. "So you have lots of these?" I asked.

He nodded. "A surplus. Aunt Nana likes to cook. I don't like chocolate, but she keeps sending them. I have to either eat them or give them away else my house overflows and the maids start stealing them," he said disdainfully, "it's not as if I mind, but they only need to ask."

I stared in disbelief. "How can you not like these chocolates?"

He shrugged. "So, who're you, exactly?" he asked, "Some sort of Tsubasa, I gather. I've never really believed in the legend of Tsubasa until now. Aren't Tsubasa supposed to have more angel-like wings?" He was leaning back in his chair in an aloof kind of way. He obviously wasn't lying, but he definitely wasn't telling the truth. Is that too confusing?

There was a moment of silence while I pondered what was going on in his head. I had absolutely no idea, so I'd have to wing it.

After taking a deep breath, I said,"My name is Ageha Muteki, and I am a . . . sub-species of Tsubasa called Ageha. I don't know why our wings are different from the average Tsubasa, but we can still do many of the things Tsubasa can."

He paused for a moment before speaking again. "That's interesting. It really is a shame your wings got busted up, they look beautiful in perfect condition, I know, but really, we tried our best not to damage them," he admitted.

A couple of my butterflies started to flutter absently around his head. Eyes widening, he swatted at them in annoyance. "What in the world are these things, your pets?" he said, still swatting.

"Don't hurt them," I scolded, grabbing his arm mid-swat. "They are a manifestation of my energy. So, as you can plainly see," I said, gesturing to the frail butterflies, "it's not as if I have energy to spare."

He looked me in the eye, "Terribly sorry."

"I think the phrase is, 'no harm, no foul,'" I said, meeting his gaze. "So, I have told you about me, what about you?" I asked carelessly.

Suddenly, his semi-friendly demeanor disappeared, giving way to the person I'd seen give the order to kill someone. "Colonel Yuki Ryu, and you have just proved that my infamous interrogation technique works just as well on Tsubasa as on humans," He set the box of chocolates on my nightstand, got up and walked to the door. He turned back to me, "Get well soon, Muteki, you're going to make me a lot of money."

Then he left, leaving me feeling dumb, helpless, and strangely empty. Apparently, people like him had that effect on people.

The helplessness disappeared to make way for a considerable amount of rage. I did not like this person, I did not want this person anywhere near me, I thought that he should go jump of a cliff.

But, then again, I _did_ want this person near me; I just didn't like him, necessarily. I really did confuse myself sometimes.


	4. Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

Four: Me

Three weeks later . . .

"Isn't it just great, Muteki, you look strong enough to get out of bed now!" exclaimed Ryu sarcastically.

"The sarcasm is not appreciated, Ryu," I retorted.

He frowned. "I don't remember giving you permission to call me by my given name without any honoraries," he said without emotion.

I was a bit annoyed by the redundancy of what he said, but I let it be. I turned to him with a blank look on my face. "Neither do I remember giving you," I said.

That shut him up for a second.

He was right though, I was ready to get out of bed. I could probably know take this needle out of my arm, too.

I turned myself sideways, swinging my legs out and over. I sat up, planted my feet firmly on the ground, and steadied myself before cautiously rising into a precariously wobbling standing position. I smiled to myself, proud of my meager accomplishment.

"Mmm. Good job. You learned to stand again. But the question is, "I could hear the smile in his voice at this point, "Can you re-master the arcane art of walking?"

I stuck my tongue out at him before taking a small step forward and tripping over my own feet.

Ryu caught me before I hit the ground. "I guess the answer is no," he said.

"Shut it."

He sighed. "I just want you to know that you can't go and get yourself hurt again. For the military, you are a precious treasure, not just some pretty girl they accidentally shot. I know how delicate you are, if you get hurt again now, considering the situation, I am not sure what I would do," he said, "Promise me you won't get yourself hurt."

"I'll try . . . I guess."

My heart thumped as I realized what he'd said. The apparent meaning of what he'd said was backed-up by the position we were in.

He had more to say. "You, Muteki, are all that currently matters," he paused thoughtfully for a moment before hastily adding, "To the military."

The fact that he felt the need to add that was a dead giveaway that his thoughts were going in the same direction as mine.

I relaxed substantially.

Then I realized exactly what I was doing.

I yelped and jumped back, blushing.

That started off a chain reaction. When I jumped back, I tripped over a chair, which caused me to lose my balance. Before I had the chance to right myself, I fell.

I secretly hoped Ryu would catch me again.

But he didn't. I fell too fast, too suddenly.

The world flashed red as I whacked my head on the table. The world spun. How could I have been so stupid? I tripped twice in the past minute. I probably looked like an idiot, an idiot who couldn't stand on her own two feet. The idiot girl who forgot how to walk, that was me.

"Muteki? Muteki!" Ryu shouted. "Muteki, answer me!"

I told him he couldn't call me that without any honoraries. He should be calling me Ageha-Dana. Wait Rikuro-san, help me out before you go, I fell can't you see? I'll get up in a minute just let me sleep. Night is falling and the sun is going down. Maybe in the morning I can have some more chocolates. The stars are pretty aren't they? And they're finally coming down to meet me. If only I could reach out and touch one.

Then the heavy black nothingness came back.

I awoke to the sound of a steady beeping. It was probably a heart monitor, again.

Huh, now where have I seen this situation before? It was total Déjà vu.

I looked to my left and saw Ryu, asleep in the chair beside my hospital bed. He was asleep in a cute way, with his head resting on the bed.

I gently ran my fingers through his tangled brown hair.

"I'm sorry," I said so quietly it wouldn't wake him. "I am sorry I cause you all this worry."

I smiled to myself. I was happy in an odd way I'd never been before. It was a nice, peaceful happy, a happy that made you feel like you were in a world that meant something. It was a happy that was accompanied by a feeling of belonging, a feeling of right. Maybe it was even a feeling of love. I wouldn't know. I was not educated on these things.

Under my hand, Ryu stirred as he opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Muteki?" he asked sleepily.

"Yes?"

He sat up, noticing how my hand was on his head. "You're awake," he stated.

"Yes, Ryu, I am awake," I said, "What of it?"

He glanced around the room. "What time is it?" He asked.

I looked over at my vital signs monitor thingy-ma-bobber and read the time off of that.

"Really?" he said, leaning to get a look for himself. "The doctors said you weren't going to regain consciousness for several days. Muteki, you've only been out for a few hours."

I made a face. "I am not human. Don't expect anything they say to be correct."

He looked back to me. "They made that prediction based on the rate of which you healed from the gunshot wound. It was an accurate prediction for an Ageha. You were out the amount of time a human would have been out, Muteki."

I stared at him blankly. "So?"

He sighed. "I guess if you are not showing any concern, I have no need for it, either," he said, "And by the way, you broke your promise."

My promise . . . that I wouldn't get hurt again . . . I broke it. I broke it within ten seconds of making it. So now, I was not only an idiot, but also a jerk who broke promises immediately after making them.

"I'm so sorry, Ryu-kun, I won't break anymore promises, ever!" I exclaimed.

He looked startled by my sudden outburst. Then he smiled. "'Ryu-kun'?"

My face felt warm. "Uh . . . yeah. Sorry, Ryu-sama."

"Now I'm Ryu-sama."

"Okay, let's just keep it at plain Ryu."

"Now I am plain."

I glared at him. "Stop being difficult."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll be good." He smiled at me. It was one of those involuntary really nice smiles you give when you're content in a peaceful way.

It was probably not unlike the one I had a few moments ago. If he was feeling what I'd been feeling then . . . I'm not sure what, something, definitely, I just didn't know what.

He leaned back in the chair. "Everything will most likely tie together in the end," he said absently.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the door suddenly burst open.

An eerie presence that gave me shivers poured into the room. Only death could be that malevolent. It had to be a Shinigami or something and I was definitely dead.

So I was rather surprised when a fierce-looking Gothic woman stomped in.

"YUKI! You have paperwork _five _weeks overdue!" she was gesturing wildly, her sandy blonde pony-tailed hair flying all over the place. She was wearing black pants made of a satin-like material, and she had a black denim bodice and sleeves that were just fishnet. "Do you know how stressful it is for me as a general when my underlings refuse to hand in their reports? Especially ones that include the obtainment of a Tsubasa!" she took a deep breath before speaking again, calmly this time. "I have enough on my plate without you - "

"Muteki, this is Morino Kuroryu, Morino-san, this is Ageha Muteki," Ryu said flatly, interrupting Kuroryu.

She nodded quickly, "Pleasure. Now, as I was saying, I have enough on my plate without you around to-"

"Make sure you steer clear of her, Muteki, she might nag you to death," he rudely interrupted again.

I turned to stare at him blankly. I could totally imagine a big '?' over my head. He had no real reason to be antagonizing her. He was being rude, too.

"Oh, Ryu, you haven't seen me get angry, lately, have you?" Kuroryu said in the most evil voice I'd ever heard.

Ryu grinned. "Actually, I video-taped the last time and posted it on the military database under the file name 'Secret Weapon.'"

Kuroryu's face went red. Without another word, she turned around, and walked out the door, closing it gently behind her.

"Where is she going?" I asked.

"To delete the file. No way is she going to be able to, though. I encrypt everything I put on the military database. I've got that file so encrypted that I'm not sure I could break it," Ryu said.

I poked his nose. "You are a very naughty boy."

He smiled. "I strive to be."

"DAMMIT, YUKI, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO THIS!" screamed Kuroryu from an unknown place outside the room.

Ryu's mouth twitched.

"WHAT THE – HOW THE HELL DO YOU BEAT THIS THING?"

He was snickering by now.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I made the deletion password a –"

"DIE YOU STUPID GOBLIN; I NEED TO GET RID OF THIS DAMNED VIDEO!"

" . . . A first-person shooter," he finished, "She'll have to beat all 50 levels without missing once. If you miss, you go back to the start, no save points, and targets can get really, really small."

"That was very mean of you, Ryu. Did you see that streak of gray in her hair? That's apparently from you," I said quietly, "You don't put embarrassing videos on the internet then make it virtually impossible to get rid of. It's not nice."

He gave me an odd look. "It's not embarrassing, it's just . . . an inside joke. No one can really access the video. I just wanted to give her a hard time."

I frowned. He noticed, and sighed, "Kuroryu and I are really close friends. She doesn't get all stressed out when I give her a hard time, she just gets frazzled for the fun of it," he explained.

I still didn't get it. Humans were weird. They did many things that just did not make sense to me. Ryu seemed to understand it pretty well, so why couldn't I? It does not compute. Understanding such oddities was beyond my artificial brain. But even though I was artificial, I could still enjoy and understand many complex things. I was like an advanced computer that could learn. No, never mind, that's wrong. I could feel, therefore I was not a computer. So what do I call myself? I am not human, I am not a computer, I am not a thing, so what was I?

Maybe Ryu knew.

I looked over at him. He'd noticed my thought-filled silence. He was sitting in that chair at the side of my bed, waiting patiently for me to gather my thoughts. He'd be startled by the question I was about to ask.

"Ryu, what am I?"

He smiled. "Is that a trick question?"

"No."

He mulled it over for minute. "Do you want the obvious, simple answer, or do you want the obvious yet deep answer?" He asked.

"Both."

He nodded. "The simple answer is that you are an Ageha."

"No duh. Anyone in this building can tell me that."

"Exactly. That's why the other answer is: You are you," he said.

"I am me?" I asked. He couldn't have given a more enigmatic answer. I was kind of hoping for something more scientific.

He chucked. "Yes. Muteki is you and you are the only Muteki."

This I understood. He was trying to tell me that I was unique and the only full accurate way to describe me was my name.

Muteki is me.


	5. Forshadowing

**This one is from Ryu's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings, but I do own Muteki, Ryu, Kuroryu, Nozomi Mukido, and Ageha Hana.**

Five: Foreshadowing

Ryu

"Ryu," Someone said in a fierce whisper. "Ryu," they repeated, much to my annoyance.

"What?" I groaned, rolling over.

"Get up, lazy ass. I've got a question for you," I knew of only two people who had the guts to call me a 'lazy ass': Muteki and Kuroryu. Muteki still can't get out of bed, so it was definitely Kuroryu.

Straining to move, I sat up, only to see the horrible thing before me: Kuroryu without make-up. I flinched.

She made a disgusted face. "Get over it. I am old enough to be your mother, and I bet your mother wouldn't last a day doing my job."

"You so didn't just insult my mother. That's so Ghetto."

She just stared at me. She likely didn't even know what 'Ghetto' meant. Most people these days didn't know either.

I sighed. "You had a question?"

She maintained a blank expression. "You haven't heard from Akanazo Yura lately, have you?"

"No, I haven't. Now that you mention it, I haven't heard from her in days."

Kuroryu looked angrier than she'd been earlier today. She turned away from me and skipped a bit before kicking a chair. "Bitch!" she murmured. She turned back to me, looking furious, "That is three deserters in the past year. Colonel, do you have any idea how that looks for me?"

"Do I have to deal with her?" I asked without emotion.

"No, she wasn't vital to our operation, I'll have some other random person look into it," she said.

"But that's not the only reason you're here, is it, Kuroryu?"

"Do you know about the differences between Rikuro and Muteki?"

I just stared. "How could I? I'm not even assigned to the Tsubasa Project," I replied.

"Ryu, Rikuro's natural form is just a brain; Muteki's got her own body and everything. Plus, according to the results of all those tests we did while Muteki was asleep, it's almost like she's a whole different species than Rikuro."

I smiled. "Exactly. She's not a Tsubasa. She's an Ageha," my grin faded, "Any other things I should know about, General?"

Kuroryu's cell phone rang. She fumbled to unhook it from her belt. She violently flipped it open after getting it loose. "General Morino," she answered coolly.

I gazed at her with a bored expression as her cool face slowly turned to one of panic. "The whole place . . . you did what?" She screamed. "Who gave you permission to – Hil. God, I should have known he'd go this far . . . no, you cannot expect any assistance from my facility," then she hung up.

"What was it?"

She made a disgusted face, "They tried to make Shiragi into a Tsubasa, then his girlfriend showed up with God knows how many Teki and they're practically razing the place."

I snorted. "Serves them right. It's about time."

From the other side of the small military complex came something I'd never heard before, yet I'd recognize it anywhere.

I heard Muteki's agonized scream.

**Sorry this one was so short. :P**


	6. Return

5

**A/N: This was changed from what I originally wrote because of the bizarreness of the reason Muteki was screaming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wings, but I own a pretty large majority of this fan-fiction. I mean, 90% of this is totally original, the setting, the characters, the Ageha. The only thing I'm actually using that belongs to Natsuki Takaya is the world.**

Six: Return

Muteki

_It was coming. It would kill everyone. I had to stop it. But it was so far away. I'd have to fly. But my wings weren't working, they were torn and tattered; I tried to stand, running there would be my only hope. I stood, but as I took a step forward, I landed flat on my face._

_ I'd have to crawl._

_ Shakily, I placed my hand on the ground in front of me, but it never touched anything, the dark ground reached up and swallowed my hand, my wrist, my arm, my shoulder. . ._

Suddenly, I was jerked out of my nightmare by a large hand.

Ryu. He looked worried, staring at me with anxious eyes. "Muteki, are you okay?"

"I – I – I – um . . . yeah," I managed to say, my throat burning.

"You were screaming so loud, I could hear you on the other side of the complex," he said softly.

I suddenly started to feel very guilty. Not only had I woke up Ryu, but I'd also given him a good scare. I felt the overwhelming need to say something, to comfort him in anyway possible.

"Sorry," I said, my voice more than a little bit scratchy. My throat was raw from all the screaming.

He winced as he heard how my voice sounded. "That sounded painful," he shook his head, "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Muteki."

"I've broken my promise twice now, haven't I?" I asked solemnly, my voice still rough.

I didn't like it when promises were broken, to me, breaking a promise was like lying. If you make a promise and break it, then it was just as if you lied when you made the promise in the first place.

He shrugged, "Sort of. Not really, though. It's not like you seriously injured yourself."

"I'm sorry I woke you up," I said.

He smiled. "You didn't wake me up. Actually, your timing was impeccable. You saved me from Kuroryu's wrath."

"What did you do this time?" I asked.

He put on a face of absolute innocence. "Nothing, she just had a few questions to ask me."

"Why would she get up to ask you questions in the middle of the -" I was cut off by a piercing shriek.

Ryu's head shot up. "Fire alarm," he muttered as he grabbed my arm and yanked me out of bed. I tried my best to keep up with him; I was still recovering and clumsy on my feet.

He noticed my struggle and slowed down for a second before coming to a complete stop. I was unsure of why he'd stopped until he ducked down picked me up in his arms.

At first, I was shocked, but I realized that he just wanted to get us both out of there. If it were just a fire drill, then this wouldn't have been necessary, so it had to be a real, serious fire.

As we exited the building, I was surprised to see that no one looked panicked and most were talking casually or standing there looking annoyed. I strained my neck to look over Ryu's shoulder. I saw no flames.

So it was just a drill after all.

Then why did he . . . ?

Ryu carried me over to where Kuroryu was before setting me down gently on the grass. He turned to leave, but hesitated and turned back to me. "Stay right there," he said.

"Darn, I was going to go a wild house party, but I guess my plans are foiled," I said, my voice heavy with sarcasm.

He smiled once before leaving.

I brought my knees to my chest and watched him leave. I wondered what he was doing.

A familiar voice said, "It isn't a drill, just so you know. Ryu knows it, too. I saw how fast he got you out of that building. It's a bomb threat."

I looked up at her – Ryu was right – kind of scary face. "But, Kuroryu," I asked, "Then why is no one panicking?"

"They just don't –" She stopped and looked ahead, "Sir."

I followed her gaze. A man dressed in a normal military uniform approached us. "General Morino, this drill was unauthorized," he said. Now that he was closer, I could see slight differences in his uniform, such as the insignia on the front.

He looked down at me. "And who is this? I have not been notified of any visitors."

I began to panic. It was a good thing I had my wings tightly folded underneath my clothes.

"This civilian is Ageha Muteki," Kuroryu said, "We accidentally shot her, therefore I feel that it is my facility's duty to take care of her until she has recovered."

The man grimaced for a second.

Then he dropped to ground.

Blood poured from the back of his head. Why had there been no gunshot noise?

Kuroryu did not share my shock. "As highest ranked commanding officer present, I'm taking over!" She yelled.

I did not notice the chaos around me until she shouted. Everyone was running around, panicking, much unlike before. With my eyes, I started searching for Ryu within the melee. I could not see him.

It all confused me. What rank was higher than general? Where was Ryu? What was he doing? What should I be doing?

The answer to that last question was easy. I would stay exactly where I was, because that was what Ryu had told me to do.

Kuroryu stood up straight. "Attention!" she shouted throatily. When the crowd did not respond she shouted again, "I said _attention!"_ This got a response, albeit a slow one. A handful of people stopped and saluted, a few other noticed and followed suit, then a few others, and so on and so forth. Once the masses had calmed, Kuroryu spoke up again, "Instead of your useless panicking," she pointed to one half of the assembly, "You, fan out and search for the sniper," she pointed to the other half, "you, divide and half of you guard Muteki, the rest of you . . . fan out and search for anyone suspicious," she finished.

Her allocation of troops startled me. She placed so many people to guard me. That would be unnecessary unless whoever shot the important man was after me as well, and that made no sense at all. What would my death do for anyone, anyways? Ageha were harmless, peaceful folk, not to mention there were probably only two of us left. It seemed unfathomable that someone would attempt to kill or harm an Ageha. Unless, maybe Kuroryu thought they really _were_ after me as well, which brought a completely new round of questions to my mind.

I decided just to not think; it was too tiring.

Kuroryu turned to look at me. "Muteki, do you need anything?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is there any kind of medical stuff you need?"

"No, I've been done with that for awhile."

Kuroryu nodded. "What about your wings?"

I stared at her. "They are functional . . . at least, I think they should be," I said. Why had she asked this, anyways? Even if they were better, I would have no use for them. Unless, she wanted me to fly away, but I doubted that.

"Good. Fly off to the east."

My response was automatic, "Ryu told me to stay here." How it came out surprised me a bit, because I said it firmly. That is what he told me to do, which is what I am going to do until further notice.

Kuroryu looked me straight in the eye, "Ageha, this is for your own safety. If you have any friends out there, you know, other Tsubasa or Ageha, or just anybody, go find them and stay with them until further notice, understand?"

"Ryu told me to stay here," I stated again, this time more unsure. Maybe Kuroryu was right. I was mostly healed, and except my incapability to run, I was functional. I should be leaving about now, anyways, regardless. Ageha Hana was probably out there still, thinking she was the last of her kind. She was a year or so older than me, but she was not as mature.

Suddenly, something exploded. The building I had been staying in burst into flames, a twisting inferno that reached to the skies above. In that moment, I realized that it could be no coincidence; they were after me. Why else would they go through the trouble of bombing the well-protected, secure medical building when the command center would be a much more fitting target?

Even though it pained me to go against what Ryu told me to do, if I stayed here I would break my promise not to get hurt. Kuroryu was right; I should leave.

"Okay. I'll go," I said to Kuroryu.

Kuroryu nodded and yelled something into the crowd of people. Two soldiers detached themselves from the group and came over to where we were. They saluted to Kuroryu; the woman one introducing herself as Kogasu Kohaku **[Scorch Amber]**, the guy introducing himself as Shimizu Yokawa **[literarily: Clear-water night-river, to be read as: Clear river at night]**.

"Muteki-san, these two will follow you and protect you no matter what the circumstances," Kuroryu pulled me into a quick hug. "Goodbye, Muteki."

I blinked. "Goodbye, Kuroryu-san."

I turned around and flew slowly away, allowing the two armed soldiers to be able to follow me with ease.

*****SuperYuuki's after the chapter special!*****

**Yuuki: Yay! Now the story's getting somewhere!**

**Muteki: Who are you?**

**Yuuki: . . . I am God.**

**Kuroryu: So you're Sosuke Aizen.**

**Yuuki: While I agree with you that he is God (Yes, I'm an Aizen sympathizer. Deal with it.), no. I'm your god, the authoress.**

**Muteki: Oh! So you're . . . like . . . the god of . . . of . . . um . . . **

**Yuuki: Oh crap! Don't think too hard Muteki, your brain can't handle it!**

**Muteki: . . . ?**

**Yuuki: So, my dear non-existent readers (I'm not kidding, NOBODY reads this) –**

**Kuroryu: What do you mean, 'nobody reads this!' They don't know what they're missing!**

**Muteki: You mean . . . nobody likes me . . .?**

**Yuuki: It's not that, they just don't know you exist.**

**Kuroryu: Why don't you tell them?**

**Yuuki: Because I think it's not very tactful to advertise your other stories within a fan fiction.**

**Muteki: . . . Wha?**

**Kuroryu: Whatever.**

**Yuuki: See ya next time, my imaginary readers!**


	7. The Defection of Akanazo Yura

**A/N I can't believe nobody reads this! It's good . . . one of my best works. If you have been reading this (It gets some hits. Like, maybe two a chapter per month) then why don't you review? I appreciate that you even read this, because I've poured my heart and soul into this story.**

**Muteki: Miss author/narrator/god person?**

**Yuuki: I said drop the 'god' part. It's okay in my Bleach fan-fics, but not here . . . if you insist, please call me Miss Yuuki.**

**Muteki: Okay. Miss Yuuki?**

**Yuuki: Hm?**

**Muteki: What happened to Ryu-kun?**

**Yuuki: Oi! Kuroryu!**

**Kuroryu: Yeah?**

**Yuuki: Blindfold Muteki so she can't read this chapter!**

**Muteki: ?**

**Kuroryu: Sure, but may I ask why?**

**Yuuki: Akanazo. Ryu. Yeah.**

**Kuroryu: Oh, you mean Yura? Ryu's ex-**

**Yuuki: SHHHHHH!**

**Muteki: NOOOOOO! Ryu!**

**Yuuki: Calm down, I'll let you read it after the story is over.**

**Kuroryu: (Pins down a struggling Muteki) Warning, this chapter has some coarse language.**

**Disclaimer: I no own Tsubasa: Those with Wings.**

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Chapter 7

The Defection of Akanazo Yura

(Ryu's POV)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For once in my life, I hadn't seen it coming until it came.

Akanazo Yura. The bitch of the century.

The Akanazo family was one of the richest, most powerful families in existence. They had much money, but they usually stayed out of military affairs as much as possible. Years ago, the eldest daughter of the Akanazo family decided she wanted to join the military. Her parents had been reluctant, but they complied eventually. While she was gone training, her parents died in a freak plane accident, leaving the girl with more money than she knew what to do with.

We met just after we'd both entered the academy, her for her first year, I for my third. I'd been the average kid with potential, but she had no potential what so ever.

Akanazo Yura. The biggest airhead to ever set foot in the military academy.

At the time, I'd pitied her. I helped her with her homework occasionally, but eventually I just offered to tutor her. After a month or so of my tutelage, Akanazo's grades sky-rocketed. She began to succeed in everything, even the physical classes.

Akanazo Yura. Prodigy.

It was around that time I began to notice things about her, like the way her long, red hair looked when it was tied back, the beautiful way she walked, the set of her eyes when she was determined, and the smooth cadence with which she spoke. Everything about her began to fascinate me.

Before long, we started dating, the instructors and teachers frowned upon such relationships, but hey, we were adults, by society's standards.

Akanazo Yura. The love of my teenage life.

We both graduated the academy with honors, and started out at a slightly higher position than the others start. It was then that her real personality began to show. She was cruel in the most passive of ways, and she was impartial about many things that one should not be impartial about. But unlike me, who am merely a Colonel, Akanazo made General, but it was common knowledge that she had paid her way to the spot.

Akanazo Yura. A liar.

I very soon discovered that she'd played me. I'd heard a rumor that she'd slept with Colonel Hil, and this was recently. Then, a few weeks later, she disappeared off the face of the earth, no note, no goodbye. She didn't care. I sulked for at least a week, then I got a called that temporarily stationed me in a border town. It was there I met Ageha Muteki, the Tsubasa. She was everything Akanazo wasn't and more. The fact that she'd thrown herself in front of a bullet to protect someone she didn't even know fascinated me. I kept her company while she healed, and did my best to keep her fairly happy.

But Yura chose _now_ to return, now that Muteki was better, now that I had gotten my life relatively back in order. Akanazo Yura tried to kill the one who'd made me forget her.

Akanazo Yura. My enemy.

"Ryu-kun! What a pleasant surprise – wait, well, I guess since you work here I really shouldn't _be_ surprised, but you know what I mean."

I turned to the source of the voice I knew very well, only to find the red enigma herself with a rifle pointed straight at me. She was clothed totally in black, her face was covered, but I'd know those eyes anywhere.

"You are the sniper," I stated.

"The one who killed the Furor? Yeah. He was in the way of my shot of that blond bitch. And I don't mean Kuroryu."

"What do you have against Ageha Muteki?" I commanded.

Yura seemed genuinely surprised, "So that's what her name is. Pretty. Suits her. Too bad."

I'd almost had it with her blank expression, "Akanazo, why are you doing this?"

"It's for Shinsei Kurasu, the little group me and my 'friends' made. I'm leader, 'cause I got the money."

"Shinsei Kurasu? Divine Raven? What's that – a teki. It's a teki, isn't it?" I asked.

She nodded and lowered her rifle. "Oi, Naminatae! Jikuro!" she called.

I heard a swoosh, and suddenly two black-clad ninja-like soldiers were to either side of me, at least five meters away each, with their own guns pointed on me. "Yes, Akanazo-dono?" they said.

"Don't kill him, just make sure he doesn't kill me."

"Yes, Akanazo-dono."

I ignored the insurgents. "Akanazo. Why are you after Muteki?" I asked.

"She is a Tsubasa, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Then that is why. I have witnessed many things, Ryu, and from my experiences, I have decided that the military should never be allowed to have a weapon of such potency."

"Muteki would never harm a fly," I said, defensive.

I could tell even through her mask that she frowned. "That's what you might think now, Ryu, but eventually-"

I'd had it. "She threw herself in front of a fucking _bullet _to save the life of someone she didn't even know! Come up with a shitty come-back for that one!"

She sighed. "Oh, Ryu, you get so hot-headed sometimes," she looked to her guards, "Well?"

"Yes, Akanazo-dono?"

"This is Colonel Yuki Ryu," she said as if it should be an obvious fact to them.

"Oh, okay, Akanazo-dono."

I heard a sudden swift movement, which was shortly followed by something colliding with the side of my head.

I blacked out.


	8. Finding the Fading Flower

**A/N: **No one reads this~ '-.-

Still, I enjoy having it on the internet. It just feels good to get it out there. *sigh*

Muteki: It's okay, Miss Yuuki. We still love you ^.^

Yuuki: Awww. Thanks. I love you guys, too.

Yura: Crazy bitch! You love figments of your imagination.

Yuuki: (clears throat) Kuchiki Byakuya, would you please?

Byakuya: Scatter, Senbonzakura.

Yura: HA! You have a girly Zanpakuto! You look real girly, too! HA – HA! If you think _flower_ petals are gonna hurt me then you're *gack* (gets sliced to pieces by Senbonzakura's thousands of blades) *dies*

Ryu: YEAH! She's dead! YAY!

Yuuki: *Brings Akanazo Yura back to life with her awesome authoress powers*

Yura: . . . I'm alive?

Ryu: Why'd you do that!

Yuuki: Without her, your story would have neither plot nor antagonist. Face it; you need her.

Yura: HELL YEAH, BITCHES!

Kuroryu: Actually, we'd still have an okay plot. Well, mainly character building and such, but without Akanazo, we'd be lacking catalysts for a good amount of events.

Yuuki: OMG Kuroryu is right. Oh, Bya-kun, you can return to your story now.

Byakuya: I would rather explore this story a bit before returning. Abarai can handle the paperwork.

. . . And that is how a got a Chibi Byakuya in my head. Face it, Chibi Aizen is cute, but no one beats the awesome cuteness of Chibi Byakuya. (I printed out a picture of him and now I've got a pic of Bya on the cover of my science binder!)

***Random Side Notes***

Imoto-chan = informal younger sister

-onee = Elder sister (in honorary suffix form!)

Onē-san/Onē-chan = Elder sister

Kazu = Number

Ichi = One

Ni = Two

San = Three

Yon = Four

Go = Five

Roku = Six

Nana = Seven

Hachi = Eight

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ageha Muteki: Chapter 8

Finding the Fading Flower

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My wings had only barely healed. After a few minutes of flight, pain blossomed in my shoulders and at the base of my wings. Flying anymore would damage them further.

Gently, I landed on the ground, my slipper clothed feet daintily touching the cold grassy ground.

Suddenly, I felt it, a faint urge pulling me to the south, beckoning with utmost benevolence to a place where I would find one who'd gone missing.

One of my sisters was calling me. Ageha . . . Hana.

I heard footsteps and immediately turned. It took me a moment to recognize them. What had Kuroryu called them? Shimizu Yokawa and Kogasu Kohaku. They had beautiful names. They were both clad in their military uniforms, and they both carried large backpacks that I could assume had clothing and money in them. Apparently, Kuroryu had prepared for this.

"Ageha-sama," Kogasu spoke, "Is anything the matter?"

"My wings are just a bit sore, that's all," I said.

She nodded, "Then we shall continue on foot," turning to Shimizu, she said, "Yokawa, go change into casual clothing. I'll stay with Ageha-sama."

Her use of honoraries – or rather lack of thereof – for her partner startled me slightly. But then again, she was calling me 'sama' as if I was her superior.

He nodded and walked a distance away, into the trees.

I sat down and put my head between my knees. Taking deep breaths, I did my best to calm myself down. I was still in mild shock.

I found myself thinking of Rikuro. The Ageha had come a few decades or so before the pair of Tsubasa, but we, about eight of us all together, didn't have enough power to do what he and Kayo could do. Compared to them, the Ageha were imperfect, inferior, outdated, and _useless_. But Maker, he didn't care. He'd helped in the building of our bodies and assisted in the constructed of what he called our 'wonderfully pure' brains, and to him we were like his children. Even though we had no use except to sit there and look pretty, he loved us. I remembered a snippet of delusional thought I'd had while partially conscious. I'd wanted to go back to Japan and ask Maker to teacher me something.

That was no longer possible. Maker was dead. He'd died . . . a long time age. Rikuro and Kayo's Maker was still there though, but just like our Maker, he'd die eventually, too.

But the question that always remained was 'what about the Ageha?' Would we ever die? I was at least ninety years old myself, and I didn't even look nearly the part. But . . . I hadn't heard from Kazu-Ichi in many years, and being the first Ageha, she was the oldest, meaning that-

"Ageha-sama?"

I looked at her, "Yes, Kogasu-san?"

"Do you have any place in mind?"

I gazed in the direction of the whisper-like call. "That way. The flowers are that way," I said, realizing I'd used one of the code phrases that nobody knew except for the Ageha.

Kogasu looked at me funny. After a moment she seemed to gather her thoughts, "Well, are the 'flowers' safe?"

I smiled. "You have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Not a clue."

I nodded and explained, "One of my sisters is calling me, Ageha Hana, hence the 'flowers,' and she's that way."

She seemed a bit surprised. "Sisters? There are more of you?"

I sighed. There was a lot of us once upon a time. Now, not so much. "There used to be eight of us."

Her eyes widened slightly. "What happened to them?"

Not wanting to answer, I stayed silent.

"Oh. Sorry."

I looked at her. She had dark, brown hair that ended in ringlets; and piercing emerald-green eyes. Her skin was a few shades darker than mine was, which wasn't really saying much, I was pretty pale, but she didn't seem like the kind of person to be a soldier. She seemed like the kind of person that would stay home and be courted by endless suitors. Kogasu was the name of a somewhat noble family, and she definitely had the looks, but there was a glint in her eyes that implied that that kind of life wouldn't be for her.

Shimizu returned wearing blue jeans and a jacket. Certainly not formal, and it reminded me of how people used to dress before the fall of the 22nd century.

They exchanged a few quiet words before Kogasu went to change, also.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It wasn't long before we approached a small town.

As we walked down the street in the middle of the town, I got a few odd looks.

"Hana! Hey, Hana!" called a female voice.

Startled, I turned to see if the 'Hana' they were calling for was the Ageha.

A girl with braided brown hair ran up to me. She was clad in a simple orange sundress that flowed just past her knees; she carried a simple backpack in her arms. Judging by her height and demeanor, she couldn't be any older than fifteen years old. "Hana, you're supposed to be in bed!" she said.

I sighed. This kind of thing had happened a lot back when there were more of us. "I'm sorry, but you seem to have mistaken me for one of my sisters. My name is Muteki," I said gently.

The girl looked embarrassed. "Oh. So sorry," her eyes lit up, "Hey, if you're looking for Hana, I can take you to her!"

I smiled gently. "I would like that very much, miss . . .?"

She smiled back, "Murasaki."

"Lead the way, Murasaki-san."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I was surprised when Murasaki led us to a small house near a rocky cliff over-looking the ocean. It wasn't really Hana's style.

Murasaki entered the house without knocking. She ran off deeper into the house and came to an oak door. "Ageha-san, there is a person here that looks exactly like you named Muteki and she says she's your sister," Murasaki said through the door.

The door opened wide to reveal a woman with long, soft blond hair that was tied in a loose bun at the back of her head, she had bright blue eyes, but her face was a bit more child-like than mine was. She was wearing blue, which confused me a bit. Kazu-Ichi had always said that wearing green was not optional.

Hana squealed, a look of joy on her face. "Imoto-chan! You came!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.

"Of, course I did, Hana, why wouldn't I?" I said laughing.

"Come on in, imoto-chan! Bring your friends there, too," she chimed, opening the door wide and gesturing us in.

We entered and I plopped down on Hana's bed. Shimizu stood by the door along with Kogasu. They seemed a bit tense, which I sort of understood.

"I don't have any tea, I'm sorry, but please, make yourselves at home-" she started coughing violently, frustrated pain twisting her face.

Murasaki, who had been standing quietly outside the door, rushed in with her backpack, grabbing what looked like an inhaler. "Here, Hana," she held the device to Hana's mouth and she hastily breathed in the mist it provided. Her breathing was still a bit heavy, but she was no longer in pain, it seemed.

"Thank you, Murasaki-chan," she said breathlessly.

"It's okay, just calm down, Ageha-san. You're getting yourself too worked up," she said sternly.

This scared me. According to maker, we were made so we couldn't get sick. Our immune systems were undefeatable. So that means that… Hana's illness couldn't be from an outside source. It had to be because of her body. Maybe she had a defect. Was that even possible though, considering how maker had always gone on and on about how perfect we were?

"Hana-onē, what happened to you?" I asked, my voice dripping with concern.

She grimaced. "Oh, you mean my little cough? I've had for a year or two now, it's nothing to worry about." She smiled. "So, how old are you now, Muteki? It's been how many years? I can't even count!" she let out weak laugh.

I smiled lightly. She didn't want to talk about it. That was fine. I'd figure it out later. "Ooo, I'm not totally sure… Perhaps eighty-five? No, wait, eighty-six," I answered.

"EXCUSE ME?" Kogasu exclaimed. I looked over at them; Kogasu looked utterly shocked and Shimizu stared at me in bewilderment.

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm that young. Hana here is the old maid," I said, poking her gently in the side.

Hana return my laugh with a giggle. "Yep, I'm ninety-eight! One hundred is just around the corner!" she laughed, ending with a light cough.

Murasaki, of course was sitting right there. "Calm down, Ageha-san!" she scolded.

Kogasu stared at the girl in shock. "You're not at all surprised by this?"

The girl shook her head. "I knew how old Hana was. I'm a bit surprised about Muteki, though. I was under the impression that all the Ageha were created around the same time."

"Nah. Muteki, also known as Kazu-Hachi, was made only a few years before Rikuro and Kayo came along. Me, I'm Kazu-Yon, the four ever made. That's why I'm so old."

"Kazu-Ichi would be oldest. Maybe one-hundred-ten now?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Hana replied.

That made me think of some thing. "Hana-onē, do you know what happened to the others?"

A solemn look was cast over her face. "Either they fell off the radar, like me, or they… faded."

Six. Six lives, lost. Six aspects, lost. Six sisters, lost… forever. The thought made my eyes sting.

Were Hana and I really the only ones left?

. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. ..

**A/N: **Oh, I just love love love love this chapter! Okay, here's a quick list of the Ageha in order one to eight: Nozomi (Hope. Not Mukido Nozomi), Yume (Dream), Shinrei (Faith), Hana (Flower/Delicateness), Ai (Love), Kokoro (Heart/Emotion), Merodi (Melody/Expression), and Muteki (Invincibility/Resilience).

Okay, about that, with the [blank]/[blank] thing, the first thing is what it means literally, the second is what it symbolizes.

I'm working on a song that they'd all sing together, and I love it so far! If or when I get the 'Lola' Vocaloid software for Christmas I'll upload it onto youtube and it'll be awesome! Oh, and does anyone know where I can download an English version of the MikuMikuDance (MMD) program? I'd appreciate it very much.

It's just barely starting to show in this chapter, but the side characters have more depth than the main character. Especially Ageha Hana and Ageha Nozomi (OMG are you gonna be thrown for a loop!).

In the middle of writing this chapter, I got up and did some Yoga. It's very relaxing. That maybe why this chapter is the embodiment of awesomeness and all that.

**Please, dear near-nonexistent readers, I want to know what you think about this story. It's got 8 chapters now, and I **_**know**_** this gets hits. Please review. This story is one of my best. It's better than Yearning for Truth, and I pour my soul into this story.**

All the characters: You luv us that much?

Yuuki: It's like you're my kids…

All: Aww. Thanks!

Bya: …

Yuuki: Except Yura. She's a bad seed.

Yura: HEY!

Byakuya: Please review. If you do, Yuuki might post the story with my non-Chibi form paired with her best Bleach OC.

Yuuki: DAMN RIGHT I WILL! ! !


	9. Old Memories, New Leaders

**A/N:** The chapter is dedicated to Sydney-Emily-Cullen, who gave the first review!

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Ageha Muteki: Chapter 9

Old Memories, New Leader

Kuroryu's POV

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I didn't like change.

Most of the time, a difference in routine indicated some sort of abnormality. Not all abnormalities were bad, but most of the time they were. At least, they were for me. I sat back in my high-backed chair, running my gaze blankly over my new office. It was much more ornate than the old one, and sunlight poured in from the huge window behind me, the glass made of the safest, most durable, most unbreakable transparent substance in the world. Of course, I couldn't remember the name of the stuff, but who cared? My desk… was insanely – yet necessarily – huge.

Every morning there was a steaming hot cup of coffee on my desk. The quality of it was marginally better than the kind I used to get. I never even had to ask for it, and on the rare days where I came in to the office even earlier than I had to, the cup of coffee was still there. Whoever the little assistant was who had to duty of delivering my coffee, it seemed like that possibly could be their only responsibility, what with the efficiency with which it was done. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a look out posted by the front door to alert them of my arrival so they could warm up the coffee and get it on my desk. One day, I'd have to go in a different entrance and see if that screws them up.

Aozora, my new secretary, was even here hours before me. Beautiful girl, Aozora, she puts me to shame. Kind little thing, too. With all the paperwork and schedule managing she does, I often wonder when – or if – she ever gets any sleep. Surely such a pretty young woman had to get her beauty sleep, right?

The change that had come with the new office meant nothing to me. I might have had more paperwork and now many more people knew my name, I even needed to wear the actual uniform, but I didn't care. That wasn't the change that was bothering me.

Sighing, I swiveled the chair around and looked out the window over the courtyard. It was a bright, sunny, gorgeous day and the sun reflected somewhat off the light tan stone. It was the kind of day when one could cook an egg on the sidewalk. Further from my side of the building, there were a few soldiers practicing in one of our outdoor shooting ranges.

So young. They reminded me so much of the old times.

I smiled sadly. Old times.

When I was young, my mother and father spent whatever time they weren't arguing away from home. I'd overheard odd conversations, but none of them had ever made any sense to my young, innocent mind. Scary people always visited the house, the spoke about the government and what they were doing wrong, but I never understood until the day they came.

My home was stormed by group of about twenty soldiers. They took my parents away, permanently.

The memory still felt fresh, like a gaping wound in my mind, although it happened thirty years ago.

_I was happy today. Mama and Papa were home and Mama was making cookies. She almost never baked, but when she did it was delicious. I loved her chocolate chip cookies. I wished she'd make them more often._

_ The family room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the warm stone fireplace. It was comfortable. Safe. I held my hands above the fire, warming them on the chilly mid-winter's night. It was nearing bedtime; I was starting to feel it in my eyes, lids drooping annoyingly. Curling up into a little ball on the fuzzy fur carpet, began to drift off to sleep._

_ Home was a safe place. My little place in front of the fire was safe. Comfortable. No one could hurt my peace here. No one could interrupt my bubble of happiness._

_ Glass shattered._

_ Shocked, I sat up and screamed over the sound of boots thunking against the wood floor and loud men barking things I didn't hear quite clearly. They had guns. I'd seen guns before. Papa had some in the basement, but these men weren't Papa._

_ One of the soldiers noticed me, he gave me a hard look then turned to the guy next to him. "Get the kid," was all I heard before my arm was grabbed by a strong hand. My eyes began to water as I was pulled through the house, away from my safe spot. Away from my comfortable fuzzy carpet._

_ I was yanked into the kitchen, but afterwards I was promptly forgotten, pushed into a corner where I watched and listened, sobs occasionally escaping my throat._

_ Mama and Papa were being forced to kneel on the floor. Mama was shouting at the soldiers. She was mad at them. Papa wasn't doing anything, but his head was held high. A soldier approached them, probably the guy who was leading the group. He paced back and forth in front of my parents, rattling off a bunch of different things that sounded pretty bad. Saying my parents did those things. He kept saying the word "teki." I didn't know what that meant, but I knew it was bad, and I'd heard Mama mention it before to me but when I asked what it was, she had told me a teki was justice. I had doubted that._

_ Lost in my thoughts, one phrase that the man spoke reached me. 'Penalty of which is death.'_

_ I screamed as the guns were fired._

I shook my head. My mindset had changed substantially since then. I was orphaned, but I never became one of the Nameless. The military took me in and raised me. They taught me about the things that my parents and the teki had done, and why what happened had to happen. I didn't see the Military as the ones who took my parents away, no, I saw the teki as the bad guys. It was their fault. When I was younger, people pitied me. They always pitied me. I was the lonely one, no family, no friends. They avoided me, scared that I might be different. But I didn't care. I didn't need them, or their pity.

About a decade ago, I took up an offer to teach at the Academy for a few semesters. Seeing no real reason to decline, I gave it a try.

I taught military strategy, being as I studied strategy for five years under the top generals themselves. It took a while for me to learn the names of all my students, but the two that stuck out the most where Yuki Ryu and Akanazo Yura. The former because he excelled at the assignments, the latter because she… er… failed epically, as Ryu would put it.

Ryu was a sweet kid. But goddammit, he had spent way too much time idolizing Colonel Hil. I never liked Hil. He seemed like such a douche to me. But now there were rumors he'd started an orphanage, but I seriously doubted it.

Often, Ryu would stay after class and help me plan my lessons. Damn genius. The kid could have taught the class. Eventually, I developed a fondness for the kid. Like the way a mother feels towards her child.

When Akanazo began getting grade _immensely_ better than what she used to get, I suspected cheating, but her explanation was that Yuki Ryu was tutoring her. That, on the other hand, made sense. I noticed them hanging out more, and smiled at the thought of young love.

My teaching career ended the year they both graduated, but only because I needed to get back to my desk job. I was happy when Ryu got put under my command. Colonel Yuki Ryu. _I helped make that_ I always thought sarcastically. My teaching assisted in his way to that rank.

But with him being my subordinate, it also meant I was forced to watch as he silently fell apart. His girlfriend had cheated on him with his idol, Hil. What irony. It hurt to watch from afar. He needed to get away, so I'd sent him on mission to a small border town where he could just relax for a while.

When he returned with Ageha Muteki, at first, I was worried. In his state, I doubted he could handle a fragile girl like that. But my worries were proven groundless. I observed as they both silently fell for each other. A bright future seemed to be laid out ahead of us all, I could have sworn that if I just reached out I could have embraced that future.

But then the Furhor was killed. Ryu disappeared. Ageha ran.

Again, a teki took away what I loved most. They took away my best friend and my light of hope.

My thoughts were interrupted by Aozora's voice from the intercom on my desk. "Furhor Morino, you're three-fifty has arrived."

Ah, yes, some ambassador from somewhere in northern Hanhini. We were supposed to have tea today. I turned the chair back to the desk and pressed the button. "Send him in, Aozora-chan."

Over the intercom, I could hear her huff of annoyance at being addressed with the –chan honorific. "Of course, ma'am."

I sat back in my chair and sighed.

The burden of leading the entire military rested on my shoulders. I had no idea how people figure that I was supposed to success our last Furhor, but here I was. Normally, such a huge honor and promotion would call for joy and celebration.

But Ryu and Muteki were gone. I no longer had Ryu around to push some of my stress on. I no longer had Ageha around to brighten my day with her innocence and kindness. I missed her smile. I missed Ryu's witty sarcasm. I missed their pointless bickering.

It felt wrong to be without them, now. Things had change so much since they disappeared.

I didn't like change.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . .

**A/N:** I love Kuroryu… and she is now the most powerful person in Neelse! Yay!

Poor Kuro…

I love how this story is unfolding… and I love how this has two intertwining stories. In the beginning, it was all about Muteki, but now we have the troubled pasts of our supporting characters. Don't worry, we'll get Akanazo's full story eventually. Eventually.

Byakuya: By this she means at the end.

Yuuki: Yeah. Probably one of the last chapters.

Mukido Nozomi: My chapter next, right?

Yuuki: Uh-huh. You for the first half, Kogasu Kohaku the second half.

Ageha Nozomi: You've been planning on introducing me for HOW long? This will be soon, right?

Yuuki: Soon, sweetie, soon.

Ageha Nozomi: …


	10. Light's Hope

**A/N:** Yes, the name of this chapter is a World of Warcraft reference… deal with it (Death Knight starting sequence. Light's Hope Chapel, where the Knights of the Ebon Blade are defeated by the Argent Dawn and the Lich King betrays the Death Knights. I will not explain my reasoning for this. That would be telling). Oh, and meet the new chibis that lives in my head… ILLIDAN STORMRAGE AND ARTHAS MENETHIL!

Illidan: What the…? What is this!

Yuuki: Arthas is here, too.

Arthas: _What in the world? I demand to be returned!_

Yuuki: Now yaoi can occur!

Illidan & Arthas: _WHAT!_

Yuuki: Haha. Just joking. I am adamantly against Arthas x Illidan. More of an Illidan x Maiev person and an Arthas x Jaina. The second of which is canon.

Illidan: I AM NOT PREPARED FOR THIS!

Yuuki: Yay! (If you don't get it, I don't care)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tsubasa: Those with Wing, but I own Ageha Muteki, Merodi, Kokoro, Ai, Hana, Shinrei, Yume, A. Nozomi, the Priestess, M. Nozomi, Murasaki Misao, Naminatae Kasumi, Jikuro Rentaro, Akanazo Yura, Morino Kuroryu, Yuki Ryu, Amane Kyo… basically every character in this.

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Ageha Muteki: Chapter 10

Light's Hope

Mukido Nozomi's POV

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It was dark in here. I never liked the dark. Surrounding me was the musty smell of old carpets and decaying wood. Where ever this was, whatever this place was, I didn't like it. Always, outside, the only sounds to be heard were training soldiers and the pitter-patter of the ever constant rain showers.

Perhaps dark was an exaggeration. It was dimly lit in this room. I hadn't left this accursed room since I got here. The faded orange carpet was rough on my bare feet, and the walls were a sickly yellow, like the kind you saw in waiting rooms. My bed was a little green cot, my only coverings a few moth-eaten wool blankets. It wasn't all that cold here, per se, but the constant wet combined with the somewhat cool climate of the area made me shiver occasionally, my loose, navy blue tank top failing to provide ample barrier from the cold.

Why had Otosan brought me here? From what I gathered, it seemed to be some sort of business trip, but when Otosan had me tag along with him to work, it was always to well-maintained military facilities, not musty abandoned building filled with sketchy people. I'd only seen two people since I arrived here. Well, technically I only _met_ one, but there was this one woman… the one with the long bright red hair and the scattered freckles across her cheeks… she seemed to be in charge around here. She wasn't anything like Miss Morino, though. The other lady, the one with the long black hair was Naminatae. She had scary yellow eyes, always alit with sarcasm when she spoke to me.

There weren't any windows in this room.

I heard the very rare creak of the door opening. Fearing the worst, I turned. There she was. Naminatae Kasumi. She was dressed completely in black, as everyone here was. "Hello, you little piece of trash," she said snidely, turning her nose upwards as if she smelled something horrible.

Giving her a blank stare, I replied flatly, "Good evening, Naminatae-san."

Naminatae put her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one foot. "Akanazo-dono wants to see you. Heavens knows why."

Akanazo? That name seemed familiar somehow. Otosan had said it a few times, but only in whispers. "This Akanazo person must be really important."

The woman scoffed. "Of course she's important!" She stepped forward and grabbed my arm, wrenching me out into the hallway.

It seemed that much of this building was in the same condition as the room, old and musty. In some places, the wallpaper had been torn away, revealing dark gray planks. Every step taken resulted in a slight creak that unnerved me. Was this this place structurally sound? Could the floor fall out from beneath me if I stepped in the wrong spot?

As we descended a flight of rickety stairs, I looked over the railing to see that the spiraling staircase led very far downward. Now when I saw places where the wallpaper had been removed, instead of just wooden planks, behind them were roots of trees and soil. How much of this place was underground? On the walls were candelabras, providing the only light as we went deeper and deeper underground.

Finally, we reached a large metal door. Naminatae reached into her pocket and pulled out a ring of keys, and after a moment of searching, she inserted a small black key into the lock. She turned it, and the door unlocked with a loud, echoing thunk. The woman pulled the door open, the rusty hinges creaking slightly.

Again, my arm was clasped by Naminatae's strong grip and I was tugged through the underground hallways. This place was in much better condition. Electric lights lined the ceiling, providing their flickering white light. The floors were tiled and the walls seemed to be made of stone. But down here, it really was cold, goose-bumps were appearing on my arms.

After a short time, we reached another door; this one was grand and wooden, engraved and shining. There was no lock on this door, so Naminatae just opened it, and stepped inside. The inside of this room was very well lit, light coming from several lamps around the large room. Under my feet was a dark red carpet, and the walls in here were a friendly off-white.

To one side of the room, there was a couch, where the woman with the red hair was lounging with a book. Naminatae nudged my back, indicating that I should approach her. The red-haired woman sat up. She was dressed in – you guessed it – black, just like everyone else here. She wore simple slacks and a dress shirt, nothing fancy.

She gave a soft smile, "Hello there. You must be Mukido-chan," she said in that annoying way adults liked to talk to small children. I didn't mind it, I was always talked to like that, although I was ten years old. She stood and made her way toward me. Bending at the waist slightly, she held out her hand, "I'm Akanazo Yura, but you can just call me Yura, Mukido-chan."

Tentatively, I grasped her hand and shook it gently. "Pleasure to meet you, Yura-san." I happened to glance at Naminatae, and spotted a faint blush on her cheeks as she silently stared at Akanazo.

"Next I'm going to take you to meet the Priestess, she's my boss," Yura gave me another smile before straightening and turning to Naminatae, who seemed slightly startled.

"B – But Akanazo-dono, I – I haven't even met the Priestess-"

"Silence," Yura commanded, "You are dismissed, Kasumi."

She started to protest, but stopped herself, and bowed low. "Yes, Akanazo-dono," she said sheepishly. I just barely caught the heavy blush on her face as she left the room, the door closing behind her.

Akanazo beckoned me towards a door in the back of the room, this one even more ornate than the one that led into this room. On the wall were many electronic locking systems. She began typing various passcodes into the system.

The door unlocked with an audible click, and Akanazo pulled it open. She entered, and then gestured for me to follow. I passed the threshold into the large, purple-hued room. In the center was a raised dais surrounded by soft green gossamer drapes, adding a mystic feel to the entire room.

Slowly, a figure descended the short number of steps leading down towards Akanazo and me. "Ah, Yura-chan, what have we here?" the woman said.

Instantly, Yura kneeled. "This is Mukido Nozomi, the child you were looking for, Priestess."

This "Priestess" was clad entirely in a dark green, form-fitting dress, with long, tapered sleeves and slight train that trailed behind her. There was a slit in the chest that showed her bust, ever so slightly. Her face was shielded by a dark green veil.

She turned to me. "Hello, Mukido-chan. I am Priestess, and while I have other names, I prefer to be called that," she said kindly.

I bowed slightly, just enough to be proper. "Hello, Priestess."

The Priestess seemed to smile, but I couldn't be sure beneath the veil. "I understand that you've met one of the Ageha, a blond-haired beauty named Muteki, I believe," she inquired.

Confused, I turned my head to the side. How did she know about that? "Um… yes… she was a Tsubasa."

"Did she grant you any wishes, Mukido-chan?"

"…" where was she going with this? No one could possibly find any of this information useful.

She sighed at my hesitation. "Mukido-chan, do you know what we do here?"

I shook my head.

"Shinsei Kurasu is an organization for the betterment of tomorrow. We are a somewhat peaceful group, striving to recreate the world with our ways of tranquility. In order to achieve our goals, we need the Ageha among our ranks, to assist in… cleansing those whose personalities don't mix with our ideal society."

Here was my summarization of that statement: Take over the world, establish dictatorship, genocide, genocide, genocide. What had Otosan gotten me into?

"So, I ask again, did Ageha Muteki grant you any wishes?"

I wasn't sure if I was going to answer or not, but my sudden fear got ahold of me. "…Yes."

Priestess clapped her hands together. "This is good! Then you are useful to us!" She turned back towards the dais. "Yume!"

I jumped as a cold hand clasped around my arm. I looked to see a little girl, perhaps six or seven years old, with large, glazed over purple eyes staring straight at me. I was frozen. Quietly, the girl spoke, her eyes still holding mine, "Yes?"

"See if you can pick up the Ageha's essence."

"Of course." Moments passed. Her distant, dreamy eyes continued to entrance me. Eventually, I began to forget where I was. As I began to forget _who_ I was, she pulled her eyes away from mine.

The sudden rush of awareness knocked me off my feet. I hit the ground awkwardly, landing on my rear.

"I've got it," the girl dead-panned.

"Marvelous!"

Suddenly, I heard what sounded like a soft groan. Turning my head to the source of the noise, I saw what seemed like an unconscious man in the dark corner of the room. He was tied up with sturdy ropes, which had to be fairly uncomfortable. The man's eyes were veiled by his untidy dark-brown hair. He seemed familiar… somehow. I'd seen him before around Miss Morino. Then I remembered.

"Colonel… Yuki?" I breathed.

He didn't respond.

A hand clasped on my shoulder. I whirled to face Akanazo, who had a solemn expression on her face. "That is what happens to those who defy us, Mukido-chan."

It seemed like my previous assumption was correct. Something was wrong with these people. This… was very bad.

Akanazo led me back to the door we came through. "Wait in the other room, Mukido-chan. Kasumi will take you back to your room, okay?"

I nodded wordlessly and complied.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

_Akanazo Yura_

. . . . . . . . . . .

As the door shut, I realized why she wanted me to stay behind.

"Yura," the mysterious Priestess said coldly.

I turned to face her, crossing my arms. "Yeah?"

She tsk-ed. "You defied a direct order, Akanazo," she said in the same icy tone.

"What? I destroyed the building. Probably killed a lot of people in the process. Isn't that the point?" I asked bluntly.

Her hand twitched as her shoulders tensed. Priestess gave an angry sound. "In Rentaro's reports, it was clearly stated that you ordered for them to kill the Ageha. You even attempted to kill her yourself."

"Bitch deserves it a thousand times over."

"She is crucial to my plans! I need all the Ageha or this will never succeed, don't you realize that?"

"Hah! That little shit will never join us. Better dead than against us."

Suddenly, the Priestess began laughing. It started low, deep and quiet, but slowly escalated into low chuckle. "We have Yume here to fix that problem, now don't we, dear child?"

There was a slight sound of movement next to me. I repelled away from it, but only discovered the creepy little girl.

She spoke, her voice dreamy and distant. "Imoto-chan… will surely listen to me."

Yume had always been a little creeper, at least, as long as I'd known her. She wore a flowing gray sundress that fell to her ankles, and around her waist was a huge purple bow, sitting off to the side slightly. Her hair was this really dark violet, like her eyes, and fell just past her ears. She turned to me, her eyes still holding that creepy zombie-like glazed over look. "Hmmm… I think Yura-chan needs an attitude adjustment…"

My heart-rate picked up. Holy – the little freak was doing something to me! As her eyes bore into mine, my vision began to blur at the edges. Then, like Mukido, I was on the floor, but I was still under the enchantment. I saw Priestess in what was left of my peripherals. "It would do you good to learn your place, Akanazo. You may be leader to those outside, but here, you're _mine_."

As my sight began to fade, all I could think about was how lucky that blond-haired weakling was that she wasn't here.

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**A/N:** There you go! Nice long chapter! To those of you who are wondering why M. Nozomi and Ageha Nozomi share a name, I'm using it later, so don't worry, it's not me being lazy. Yuki Ryu's name was me being lazy. Jikuro Rentaro's name was me being lazy.

Thank you to Flame67 for your reviews, and sorry again for the misunderstanding. . I'm such an idiot.

So… review? Can I say that now? I've got readers… so there is someone that can review… so I can ask now, right?

Review? PWEASE!


	11. Forced Cruelty

Sunshine.

I thrived in it. Of course I did, I was 'flower,' and flowers were healthy when they were in the sunlight. As I stood at the edge of the cliff, my toes hanging off the side, I breathed in the crisp sea air, letting it permeate my being. Perhaps it would help my lungs, but right now, I didn't care. Today I was going to do something I hadn't done in a very long time.

As I stretched my arms above my head, I heard footsteps in the gravel. I sensed my sister among the group. "Ageha-san?" called Misao tentatively. That's right. She'd never seen me do this before. Though Murasaki knew I could, she probably thought that I was going to jump. She was partially right.

Wind in my face, I propelled myself forward, throwing my arms out to either side.

"Ageha-san!" my nurse screamed, laying on her stomach at the edge of the cliff, gazing down.

Before I was even anywhere near the bottom, I unfurled my wings. Carefully, as not to damage them, I began to flutter them, at first merely slowing my descent, gradually coming to a complete stop before shooting upwards. I giggled at Misao's startled gasp and Muteki's joyful laugh.

My wings were a bright magenta color, and they looked absolutely wonderful against the light blue skies. They used to be black and red, like all Ageha started with, but as was the case for all but one of us, they began to change when we were about thirty or fourty. Muteki had been the only exception. Hers had remained as their color. Whether or not that had changed over the decade or so we'd been apart was unknown.

I got my answer when she decided to join me. Revealing her wings, I noticed that while they were still predominantly black and red, strong tendrils of turquoise had begun to weave their way into her wings. I grinned. "Imoto-chan, you late bloomer, you," I jested to her confusion, "You're finally changing, eh?"

Her surprised expression made me want to laugh. She turned her head to gaze at her wings, her eyes widening in awe. She gasped, "So… pretty…"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

I looked up in amazement at the butterfly-women. I'd seen Ageha Muteki's wings, and no doubt they were beautiful in their ethereal shade of turquoise, but the deep magenta of Ageha Hana's wings held a friendly, welcoming, basically comfortable aura. Wings like those belonged on the backs of gorgeous and exotic Fey royalty.

Kohaku elbowed me softly. "Oi, Yokawa, you okay? You're spacing out on me."

Blinking, I threw her a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine," I redirected my gaze to the pair of Ageha, "This may be one of the best assignments we've ever gotten, ne?"

She smile and placed a hand in the crease of my elbow. "They are amazing, aren't they?"

"Mmm."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Even in the darkest hours, I was there for her.

The hallways in this section of the base were not as aptly lit, for things that occurred down here weren't to be witnessed by any except those that were involved. This was the deepest, darkest pit of Shinsei Karasu, where the Priestess cast away those who were unfit to serve, or, as in most cases, those that needed to be put in their place.

Of course, Akanazo-dono complied and did as was commanded of her, and therefore I did the same.

As I walked along, the amount of light became less and less until I could barely see three centimeters from my face. Fumbling in the void for a few moments, I was able to find the terminal. A few swift, precise keystrokes and I heard the thunk and hiss of an opening door. Slipping through, the door closed behind me. It only allow ten seconds of being left ajar before it closed automatically. I swept the wall to my right for the light-switch.

After a brief click, the bright, sterile overhead lights flickered to life, revealing the two inhabitants of the cell.

A high pitched giggle sounded. "Come to gloat more, Yura?"

I looked down at the girl. Her unseeing lavender eyes looked up at the spot where I stood. "I'm not Akanazo-dono," I told her, and she frowned. Her short light blue hair was untidy, falling in front of her face.

The other girl in cell scowled, her crimson eyes clearly displaying her annoyance. "What do you want, Naminatae? Haven't you done enough already?" Her voice had a melodic quality to it that when angered as it was, made me flinch.

"Trust me, Ageha, I don't enjoy your place any more than you do. You're more important than you think you are," I informed them.

The red eyed one ran her fingers through her long, pin-straight green hair. "You don't think we realize that? Of course we know. Why else would we not co-operate? Your beloved 'Priestess' is a lunatic," she retorted fiercely, yet calm.

I narrowed my eyes.

"But you know that, don't you, Kasumi?" the green-haired one said, sticking her face between the bars.

I struck out, the back of my hand connecting viciously with the delicate girl's cheek, the side of her head rebounding against the bar, leaving behind a splatter of shiny red blood. She to her knees, her flawless, slender hand tenderly cupping her wound. She made not a sound, except for her heavy, startled breathing.

Startled as I was from my own actions, I had no control over the next words to leave my mouth. "While you are important to my leader, impudence such as this shall not be tolerated to any extent, Ageha Merodi," I said harshly.

Her only reply was a sad look. I was the bad guy. I knew it. I hated it. But I couldn't stop.

"Merodi… I sense you are hurt… Naminatae, I swear if you have hurt my sister I the way you hurt me I will-"

"She's fine, Ageha Kokoro. Get over it."

With that, I turned and left the room, my original purpose for entering their cell lost. As soon as I stood once more in the darkness, I clamped my hands on my head, suddenly accosted by a severe headache.

'_Obey.'_

It repeated. Over and over again like a sick mantra.

Somewhere, deep inside, I knew… Ageha Merodi was right.

The Priestess wasn't –

The Priestess wasn't –

She wasn't –

I couldn't –

My mind wasn't my own. It was all _her_ doing…

Can't –

She's –

I had to –

_I'm sorry, Yura…_

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Another great chapter… yay!


	12. Act Two: An EightPart Sonata

Ageha Muteki

Act Two

_An Eight-Part Sonata_

.

_We've given up on our dreams_

_No one believes in miracles_

_Love is no longer pure_

_The heart is just an organ_

_I can't hear the music_

_But…_

_The flowers have yet to wilt_

_As a race we are resilient_

_And hope still lingers_

.

.

_I wasn't a city person. Never was. I'd truly hoped I'd spend most of my time in the country. But these days, money was hard to get, and this was the most efficient way to make it._

_Taking a drag on my cigarette, I sighed. Life just wasn't what it used to be. I couldn't say I missed my family, they had all been so annoying. But now I wished that I had someone with me. Sadness loved company._

_Seedier parts of town were where I tried to survive. Besides, customers were semi-easy to find around here. All the big-wigs came around here when they got bored, looking for a pretty girl to mess around with. I wasn't necessarily pretty, not by the majorities' standards, but I was appealing, as I liked to put it._

"_Hey," came a voice._

_I turned to face the person, a no-nonsense face painted on my features. He looked wealthy enough, perhaps a general or a colonel. "Yes?" I asked, exhaling._

"_You what I think you are?"_

_I smiled. I learned a long time ago that they didn't mean what it immediately seemed like to me. Or else everyone and their grandma would know my identity. "Seventy-five dollars," I said simply._

_I had never dreamed I would've sunk to this level, but those days of peace seemed like a lifetime ago. This was all that was left._

"_Deal."_

_. . . . . . . . ._

"_Mommy, mommy!" the little girl called, her light blonde pigtails bouncing as she did._

_I smiled. "Yes, Chikaya?"_

_She pouted. "Katsuro took my dolly!"_

_A little boy with tawny hair came running after her. "Nuh-uh! She's lying mommy, I swear!"_

_I picked another apple from the tree, placing it in my almost full basket. I sighed. "Katsuro, give your sister back her doll."_

_He frowned. "Okay…" he ran off, returning shortly with the worn-out rag doll. "Here ya go, nee-chan…" he said, giving his sister back her toy._

_She took it and smiled. "Don't take my dolly again, okay Katsu-chan?"_

"_Why don't you two head back to the house? Daddy should've returned from work by now. Maybe he brought home a treat," I suggested happily._

_The children squealed happily and darted off towards their cottage._

_I grinned contently. Yes, Kyo would be home soon. I reached for another apple, plucking it daintily from the tall apple tree. I set it gently in the basket, reaching back up to continue to another one, only to find that the last apple in the tree was a foot or so too high up for me to grasp. Damn it, that was going to bother me._

_Hastily, I looked around, carefully making sure no one – especially not Kyo – was around to see. After I ascertained that I was alone, I exhaled, allowing the large, gossamer appendages to appear. I fluttered them a few times experimentally, for it had been years since I'd last used my wings. The grossly underused muscles protested to the sudden strain as I carefully lifted myself off the ground, briskly plucking the large, juicy apple from the branch. I relaxed, and allowed my feet to once more touch the ground before folding my butterfly wings once more._

_I examined the contents of the basket. This harvest was pretty good, and would catch a decent price in at the market tomorrow._

_For now, I was going to enjoy an evening with my family._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I bolted up, breathing heavily. I was covered in a cold sweat, and the muscles of my left forearm seemed to be having mild spasms. Wiping the sleeve of my nightgown against my forehead, I exhaled loudly, fearfully. Never had I had a dream that intense before. My chest continued to heave, and a light glow filled the room, radiating from one source: me.

Looking down to the origin of the light, I gasped quietly. On my chest, a small mark had appeared. I'd always known it was there, but it had lost its purpose not so long after the war, when Ageha Shinrei had disabled the homing chips that had been implanted in us by Maker, and so it faded from sight. The tattoo was fitting, for it was the Kanji for eight, hachi (八). It emitted a soft turquoise glow, the color of my finished wings.

I heard a squeal, and sighed. Hana just woke up half the house. My older sister rushed into the room, her low-cut nightie showing off the glowing magenta four, yon (四). Her normally rather disheveled sandy hair was all over the place. "Imoto-chan!" she exclaimed happily. "Did you have the dreams, too?" she asked.

Nodding, I noticed that the others that were in the house were gathering towards the commotion.

Hana bounced happily. "Which ones did you think it was?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Well, I know the first one couldn't have been Yume-sama…" I trailed off as Hana's expression fell.

She gave me an odd look. "Of course not… I'm not sure that's even entirely legal," she said off-handedly.

I placed one dainty finger on the glowing Ageha-mark.

"We need to go find them."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I've finished my task, Priestess-sama," Yume said, her chest now glowing from the purple "two," or "ni" (二), Kanji that shone just above her grey wool dress, "I have revealed to the Ageha Muteki and Hana the locations of two of the remaining Ageha, and I have activated the Ageha-marks using your instructions."

Dutifully, I stood just off to the side. I long ago learned to watch, but not see. Anything I heard from the two highest powers in Shinsei Karasu, I would selectively forget. My job was to protect, not to observe.

The Priestess turned away from the Ageha girl, donning a heavy shawl from a nearby coat rack. "Good, good…" she trailed off suddenly, turning to face him. "Second Lieutenant Jikuro, thank you again for reporting Akanazo's misdeeds directly to me instead of trying to protect her like First Lieutenant Naminatae does," the woman tittered, "Yes, so honorable… like a Samurai. And Kasumi-chan is sneaky and sly like a Ninja…" she chuckled. "You two really are the perfect team. I'm glad to have soldiers like you on my side."

I bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Priestess-sama, I much appreciate your words."

She bowed her head in a gesture of polite acknowledgement before turning back towards her dais in the center of the room. "Second Lieutenant, you are dismissed. And take Akanazo's prisoner with you," she stopped in her ascent, "Oh, and be _nice_ to him. He's Ageha bait, not just a guest like Mukido."

"Yes, ma'am."

As he exited the room, dragging the prisoner with him, he could have sworn he'd heard the Priestess singing.

"_If you never give up hope_

_Then your good dreams shall resume_

_Faith will lead you to a place_

_Where the flowers surely bloom._

_If you love with all your heart_

_A blissful melody will start_

_And suddenly you'll find_

_You feel invincible inside."_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

**A/N:** I felt soooo uncomfortable writing the first part… Anyways, be happy! The plot thickens! Who are the two new Ageha that have appeared? Props to anyone who can guess correctly which ones.

That song at the end is the little tune I made up to remember the order the Ageha are in. Hope, dreams, faith, flowers, love, heart, melody, invincible. It's sung to the tune of "Touhou – Bad Apple!" b/c I happened to be obsessed with the song at the time. I still know it word for word in Japanese, the English translation, and Christina Vee's version of the English Dub.

Nozomi: If you never give up hope~

Yume: Then your good dreams shall resume~

Shinrei: Faith will lead you to a place…

Hana: Where the flowers surely bloom.

Ai & Kokoro: If you love with all your heart~

Merodi: A blissful melody will start~

All: And suddenly you'll find

Muteki: You feel invincible inside.

Misao: *Overly enthusiastic applause*

Kuroryu: *Sarcastic, reluctant applause*

Ryu: *Polite applause*

Akanazo: Boo! Boo! Boo, you SUCK!

Yuuki: I don't think you want to do that…

Akanazo: Why not?

Yume: … grr…

Akanazo: Oh, sh- *faints from Yume's zombie glare*


	13. System Restart

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ageha Muteki

Chapter Thirteen: System Restart

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Ageha Merodi_

I ran a hand through my jade green hair. Earlier, for merely comfort purposes, I had revealed my wings, which I knew where a spring green with tendrils of darker shades, although the dark of the cell hid them from view. Now, and unexpected development had occurred. A pair of glowing symbols had split through the darkness. Kokoro, obviously, made no comment. Her eyes were no longer functional, due to the less than gentle way we had been treated when that Naminatae bitch had found us.

First, I notice the light blue symbol for six, Roku (六), that had radiated from Kokoro's collar. At this, I had notice the green glow coming from below, and upon examination, my eyes narrowed at the light green symbol for seven, nana (七) that had appeared.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the wall. A gentle hand met the side of my face, and I opened my eyes to see Kokoro's innocent face, her expression serious as a blue glow emitted from her hand. It was a gentle, soothing feeling that followed as the skin on the side of my head knitted back together.

Ageha Kokoro was more than just a delicate Tsubasa, but also vessel for hundreds upon thousands of Nanites, little micro-robots that healed Ageha specifically. Our cell structure was too complex to heal itself within a reasonable amount of time, so Kokoro's ability was indispensable. It was her role to heal her sisters, and she did so compulsively.

Roles. They each had one. Ageha Nozomi was the Counselor, the leader. Ageha Yume had been the Overseer, the one who made sure we were all functioning properly. Ageha Shinrei, she was known as the Gatherer, the one who would bring us together. Ageha Hana was the Performer, the one that gave us happiness. Ageha Ai was known as the Archivist and she would remember every little thing that ever happened. Kokoro was the Healer. I… I was the Protector, and I had watched over the more fragile ones in our group, Kokoro, Hana, and Yume, because hearts are easily broken, flowers wilt without proper care, and dreams can be shattered. Muteki, the youngest among us, had a role I never understood. She was called the Savior. When I asked Maker about it, he simply smiled and said that only Ageha Ai was allowed to know. It was a frustrating answer, but I made do with it.

As my wound healed, I quietly thanked my sister, and shortly after fell asleep.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

_The Ageha Who is a Mother_

I couldn't believe my luck.

I made sure I not only woke up before Kyo, but also that I covered my chest well. The glowing orange symbol was annoying, and I had no idea what had set it off. I prepared breakfast and packed Kyo's lunch before leaving for the market to sell the apples, writing a note saying where I was going and when I expected to be back.

The market was unusually busy today. Stopping at the usual vendor, I lifted the heavy load of apple onto the table and grinned. "Ten pecks," I stated as the vendor's eyes bugged.

"Ten pecks?" he exclaimed. "Wow, Amane, you've out done yourself this time! I don't think I can pay for it all."

Smiling, I replied, "That's fine. Consider what's left over a gift for you and your family. I've got a couple pecks left at home, and I'll bring some pie in tomorrow, if you'd like."

He nodded happily, "That would be great!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin purse. "So, how much do I owe ya?"

I was about to reply, but a woman with auburn hair walked up to the stand. "Excuse me, but my dimwitted companions would like a snack. How much for three apples?"

"Make that four, Kohaku!" a man called.

She turned to the voice, "Not you, too, Yokawa?" she sighed, and turned back to the vendor, "Make that four."

"Wait a minute!" an oddly familiar voice called. My eyes widened. No… it couldn't be! "I KNOW THAT HAIR!"

Suddenly, two forms plowed into me from behind. I struggled to stay upright, only being able to keep myself up by grabbing ahold of the fruit vendor's stall.

I looked at the two girls that tackled me, and I was left speechless. The childish face, the dark blue eyes, the sandy blond hair of Ageha Hana. The slender, delicate form, the turquoise eyes, the golden hair of Ageha Muteki. "Nozomi-nee!" they cried in harmony.

"H – H – Hana… and Mu – Muteki, as well…" I stuttered, "How… why are you here?"

The auburn haired woman snorted. "The other night we were woken up by this overzealous one," she poked her finger at Hana, "Who decided that just because both of them had a dream and glowing chests, that we had to leave _immediately_ to go look for the rest of their sisters."

"Now you can come with us to help us look for the others!" Muteki exclaimed.

My face fell. No. I couldn't leave to help look for my little sisters. It may seem selfish, but I had too much here to leave behind. Too many responsibilities. I opened my mouth, about to speak, when suddenly…

"Mommy, mommy, mommy! Katsuro's being a meanie again!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Ageha Muteki_

I smiled when I noticed the little kids. Kids were cute, and I generally liked them.

It was when I noticed to whom they were running to that I began to freak out.

The little girl ran right up to Nozomi, her little hands tugging on Kazu-Ichi's green skirt. "Mommy, mommy! Katsuro ate my pancake!"

"Did not!" the little brown-haired boy refuted.

"Kids, kids," a man's voice said. I looked to see who had spoken, to see a man with light brown hair like the boy's and grayish eyes like the girl's. He was rather handsome, but not in that pretty boy way Ryu was. More in a fatherly way. He picked up the little boy in arms and leaned in to plant a kiss on Nozomi's cheek. "What's up with that, leaving so early?" he asked with a happy tone.

Ageha Nozomi gave a meek smile. "I need to get some stuff for lunch, and I wanted to beat the late-morning crowd."

He nodded and laughed. "Understandable."

My mind was blank. This entire situation was completely and totally impossible. Utterly unfathomable. Absolutely absurd. In entirety inconceivable.

_Does not compute._

_Does not compute._

_Does not compute._

Apparently, Hana was in the same exact state as I, because the man and kids were looking as us oddly, and I was snapped out of it by Yokawa waving a hand in front of my face. I jumped, startled out of my trance.

Kazu-Ichi seemed snapped her fingers, "Ah, yes, Kyo, these are my younger sisters, Hana and Muteki."

He seemed confused. "I thought you said you had no family, Nozomi," he said.

She blinked. "It seems I was wrong."

"So," Kohaku began, "You're Ageha Nozomi?"

Nozomi shook her head. "That's my maiden name. I'm Amane Nozomi now."

"That's – that's –that's – that's – that's – that's – that's…" I repeated, staring at the children, "That's – that's – that's…" I blinked, "They're _yours_, right? You didn't… adopt them?"

The elder sister sighed. "Yes, Imoto-chan, I gave birth to these children, Chikaya and Katsuro."

My head was spinning. No… no… "Kazu-Ichi, but how?"

She smiled a lopsided grin. "Well, it all starts when a man and woman love each other _very_ much…"

"No, no, no! Not that how!"

_Does not compute._

_Shorting out…_

_Initiating Primary System Precaution Functions._

_System Shut Down imminent. Would you like to continue operations?_

The world was spinning. This made no sense. No sense… nonsense… Nonsense. Definition: One, words or language having little or no sense or meaning. Two, conduct, action, etcetera, that is senseless, foolish, or absurd. Three, impudent, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable behavior. Four, something absurd or fatuous. Five, anything of trifling importance or of little or no use. Noun. Adjective form: Nonsensical. Abverb: Nonsensically. Alternative Noun Forms: Nonsensicalness; nonsensicality.

_Vocabulator Systems functional. Continue System Evalutation?_

_System Shut Down imminent. Continue operations?_

_System failure._

_Shutting down… shutting down… shutting down…_

For a moment, my entire vision went dark. I could see nothing, feel nothing, think nothing. It was like I just… was.

_Startup sequence initiated…_

_Running Primary Restart Functions…_

I gasped, my eyes flying open as I frantically gasped for breath, taking in my surroundings. Murasaki was standing next to me, and others were gathering. We were in a house. A house of some sorts.

_Running Primary and Secondary Cognitive Functions…_

What had just happened? I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

_Running Primary Speech and Vocabulator Functions…_

"W – what's happening?" I gasped out.

_Running Primary Motor Functions…_

_Testing Primary Motor Functions…_

Without warning, I twitched. It felt odd, for it was an extremely small movement, yet it seemed big, as my whole body was preforming it.

_System Evaluations Complete…_

_System complications have lowered life span by ten._

_System is nearing age 8-7…_

_Calculating…_

_Calculating…_

_Calculation._

_System has three(3) years to live._

_Initiating Last Functions…_

_Reading…_

_Reading…_

_System needs the file 'Purpose' in order to run Last Functions._

_Searching System for 'Purpose'…_

_Searching…_

_Searching…_

_Searching…_

_No results for the query 'Purpose'._

'_Purpose' has been deleted by User: Archivist_

_See User: Archivist to restore deleted files._

Everything just… evened out. I inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly.

"What the hell… was that?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Kogasu Kohaku_

During the chaos, I went outside where no one would hear me.

I took out my cell phone and dialed.

I tapped my foot impatiently until the phone was picked up.

"_Hello, this is Ravenheart Flooring. How can I help you?"_

Checking around me, I made sure there was no one to listen in. I said quietly. "You can always try putting the flooring on the ceiling," it was dumb password, but hey, I didn't make it up. "This is Undercover Agent Kogasu. Please connect me to Red Leader."

There was a silence. _"Okay, Kogasu. You check out. Connecting you to Red Leader."_

Another short silence. This one was greeted by a smooth voice. _"Eh? Kogasu? What've you got for me?"_

"The Ageha Muteki is malfunctioning," I said simply, without any emotion or such, "If I may go out on a limb here, I'd say we have less time than we thought before they all turn."

"_I'll tell-" _there was a slight struggle. I held the phone from my ear until it calmed.

"_Hello,"_ came a flat, inflectionless voice. It was more high pitched, and I assumed it was a small girl. _"You are Kogasu Kohaku, correct? I am Ageha Yume. Now, tell me, how is Imoto-chan malfunctioning? I may have caused it by accident."_

"She gradually started panicking, and she had this dumb look on her face like she wasn't understanding a thing that was said. Then she fainted, and after about fifteen minutes, she woke, gasping for breath. At first she still seemed confused, then she suddenly seemed intelligent again. She tried to speak, but at first she couldn't, and shortly after she regained the ability to speak, she began twitching. At the end of all this, she was completely normal."

"… _Imoto-chan… is… but… she should have thirteen more years before…_"There was a silence. "_Kogasu Kohaku, keep Ageha Muteki at her current location. I am going to examine her situation myself."_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

**A/N:** The chapter itself was EXACTLY 2,000 words. :D

Anyways. Computer sequences like that are fun to write. But I've just unintentionally complicated my own already complicated plot. Gaah… And yes, in case you didn't quite get it, Kogasu Kohaku is an agent of Shinsei Karasu.

Someday, just because of the effort that's gone into the complexity of this, I may re-work it as an original fiction. It's BARELY a fan-fiction now.


End file.
